The 20 Scientific Miracles of the Qur'an
INTRODUCTION
Fourteen centuries ago, God sent down the Qur'an to
mankind as a book of guidance. He called upon people to be guided to the truth
by adhering to this book. From the day of its revelation to the day of
judgement, this last divine book will remain the sole guide for humanity.
The PROOF
that the True Bible still
exists is in
the Koran:-
Sura 32:23.
We did indeed aforetime give the Book (Torah) to Moses: be then NOT IN DOUBT of
its (The Torah) reaching (THEE): and We made it a Guide to the Children of
Israel.
Sura 10:94.
If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who
have been reading the Book from before thee (the Bible): the Truth hath indeed
come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no way one of those in doubt.
10:95. Nor
be of those who reject the Signs of "I AM" (the Bible), or thou shalt
be of those who perish.
15:9. We
have, without doubt, sent down the Message (to all of the Messengers); and We
will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (By showing how to correct it).
The
matchless style of the Qur'an and the superior wisdom in it are definite
evidence that it is the word of God. In addition, the Qur'an has many
miraculous attributes proving that it is a revelation from God. One of these
attributes is the fact that a number of scientific truths that we have only
been able to uncover by the technology of the 20th century were stated in the
Qur'an 1,400 years ago.
Of course
the Qur'an is not a book of science. However, many scientific facts that are expressed
in an extremely concise and profound manner in its verses have only been
discovered with the technology of the 20th century. These facts could not have
been known at the time of the Qur'an's revelation, and this is still more proof
that the Qur'an is the word of God.
In order
to understand the scientific miracle of the Qur'an, we must first take a look
at the level of science at the time when this holy book was revealed.
In the
7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed, Arab society had many superstitious
and groundless beliefs where scientific issues were concerned. Lacking the
technology to examine the universe and nature, these early Arabs believed in
legends inherited from past generations. They supposed, for example, that
mountains supported the sky above. They believed that the earth was flat and
that there were high mountains at its both ends. It was thought that these
mountains were pillars that kept the vault of heaven high above.
Now, let
us look at some of these scientific miracles revealed in the Qur'an together.
THE COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE
The
origin of the universe is described in the Qur'an in the following verse:
1. "He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth."
(The Qur'an, 6:101)
This
information given in the Qur'an is in full agreement with the findings of
contemporary science. The conclusion that astrophysics has reached today is
that the entire universe, together with the dimensions of matter and time, came
into existence as a result of a great explosion that occurred in no time. This
event, known as "The Big Bang" proved that the universe was created
from nothingness as the result of the explosion of a single point. Modern
scientific circles are in agreement that the Big Bang is the only rational and
provable explanation of the beginning of the universe and of how the universe
came into being.
Before
the Big Bang, there was no such thing as matter. From a condition of non-existence
in which neither matter, nor energy, nor even time existed, and which can only
be described metaphysically, matter, energy, and time were all created. This
fact, only recently discovered by modern physics, was announced to us in the
Qur'an 1,400 years ago.
The
sensitive sensors on board the COBE space satellite which was launched by NASA
in 1992, captured evidentiary remnants of the Big Bang. This discovery served
as evidence for the Big Bang, which is the scientific explanation of the fact
that the universe was created from nothing.
Surah 112. The Unity, Sincerity, Oneness Of "I
AM",
Purity of Faith
112:1. Say: He is "I AM", the One and
Only;
112:2. "I AM", the Eternal, Absolute;
112:3. He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
112:4. And there is none like unto Him.
2. The Expansion of the Universe
In the
Qur'an, which was revealed 14 centuries ago at a time when the science of astronomy
was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described like this:
"And it is We who have constructed the heaven
with might, and verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it."
(The Qur'an, 51:47)
The word
"heaven", as stated in this verse, is used in various places in the
Qur'an with the meaning of space and universe. Here again, the word is used
with this meaning. In other words, in the Qur'an it is revealed that the
universe "expands". And this is the very conclusion that science has
reached today.
Until the
dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the world of science was
that "the universe has a constant nature and it has existed since infinite
time". The research, observations, and calculations carried out by means
of modern technology, however, have revealed that the universe in fact had a
beginning, and that it constantly "expands".
At the
beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann and
the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically calculated that the
universe is in constant motion and that it is expanding.
3. The Splitting Asunder of "The Heavens and The Earth"
Another
verse about the creation of the heavens is as follows:
"Do
not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as
one unit of creation), before We clove them asunder, and We made from water
every living thing. Will they not then believe?"
(The Qur'an, 21:30)
The word ratq
translated as "sewn to" means "mixed in each,
blended" in Arabic dictionaries. It is used to refer to two different
substances that make up a whole. The phrase "we unstitched" is
the verb fataqa in Arabic and implies that something comes into being by
tearing apart or destroying the structure of ratq. The sprouting of a
seed from the soil is one of the actions to which this verb is applied.
While
referring to the Sun and the Moon in the Qur'an, it is emphasized that each
moves in a definite orbit.
"It is He Who created the night and the day,
and the sun and the moon. They swim along, each in an orbit. "
(The Qur'an, 21:33)
It is
mentioned in another verse, too, that the Sun is not static but moves in a
definite orbit:
"And the sun runs to its resting place. That
is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. "
(The Qur'an, 37:38)
These
facts communicated in the Qur'an have been discovered by astronomical
observations in our age. According to the calculations of experts on astronomy,
the Sun is traveling at the enormous speed of 720,000 kilometers an hour in the
direction of the star Vega in a particular orbit called the Solar Apex. This
means that the sun travels roughly 17,280,000 kilometers a day. Along with the
Sun, and all planets and satellites within the gravitational system of the Sun
also travel the same distance. In addition, all the stars in the universe are
in a similar planned motion.
That the
entire universe is full of paths and orbits such as this one, is written in the
Qur'an as follows:
4. "By the sky full of paths and orbits."
(The Qur'an, 51:7)
There are
about 200 billion galaxies in the universe, consisting of nearly 200 billion
stars in each. Most of these stars have planets, and most of those planets have
satellites. All of these heavenly bodies move in very precisely computed
orbits. For millions of years, each has been "swimming" along in its
own orbit in perfect harmony and order with all the others. Moreover, many
comets also move along in the orbits determined for them.
The
orbits in the universe do not only belong to celestial bodies. The galaxies
also travel at enormous speeds in computed, planned orbits. During these
movements, none of these celestial bodies cuts across another's path, or
collides with another.
Surely at
the time the Qur'an was revealed, mankind did not possess today's telescopes or
advanced observation technologies to observe millions of kilometres of space,
nor the modern knowledge of physics or astronomy. Therefore, at that time, it
was not possible to determine scientifically that space is "full of paths
and orbits" as stated in the verse. However, this was openly declared to
us in the Qur'an that was revealed at that time:-because the Qur'an is the word
of God.
5. The Roundness of the Earth
"He
has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the night up in the
day, and wraps the day up in the night."
(The Qur'an, 39:5)
In the
Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The
Arabic word that is translated as "to wrap" in the above verse is
"takwir". In English, it means "to make one thing lap over
another, folded up as a garment that is laid away". (For instance, in
Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing
around another, in the way that a turban is put on.)
The
information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping each other
up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true
only if the earth is round. This means that in the Qur'an, which was revealed
in the 7th century, the roundness of the world was hinted at.
6. The Protected Roof
In the
Qur'an, God calls our attention to a very interesting attribute of the sky:
The
atmosphere only lets rays required for life reach the Earth. Ultraviolet rays,
for example, make it to the world only partially. This is the most appropriate
range to allow plants to make photosynthesis and eventually for all living
things to survive.
"We
made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our
Signs.."
(The Qur'an, 21:32)
This
attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried out in the
20th century.
The
atmosphere surrounding the earth serves crucial functions for the continuity of
life. While destroying many meteors big and small as they approach the earth,
it prevents them from falling to earth and harming living things.
In
addition, the atmosphere filters the light rays coming from space that are
harmful to living things. Interestingly, the atmosphere lets only harmless and
useful rays- visible light, near ultraviolet light, and radio waves pass through.
All of this radiation is vital for life. Near ultraviolet rays, which are only
partially let in by the atmosphere, are very important for the photosynthesis
of plants and for the survival of all living beings. The majority of the
intense ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun are filtered out by the ozone
layer of the atmosphere and only a limited-and essential-part of the
ultraviolet spectrum reaches the Earth.
The
protective function of the atmosphere does not end here. The atmosphere also protects
the earth from the freezing cold of the space, which is about minus 270° C.
7. The Returning Sky
The verse
11 of Sura Tarik in the Qur'an, refers to the "returning" function of
the sky.
"By
Heaven with its cyclical systems."
(The Qur'an, 86:11)
This word
interpreted as "cyclical" in Qur'an translations also has meanings of
"sending back" or "returning".
As known,
the atmosphere surrounding the Earth consists of many layers. Each layer serves
an important purpose for the benefit of life. Research has revealed that these
layers have the function of turning the materials or rays they are exposed to
back into space or back down to the Earth. Now let us examine with a few
examples of this "recycling" function of the layers encircling the
Earth.
The
troposphere, 13 to 15 kilometers above the Earth, enables water vapor rising
from the surface of the Earth to be condensed and turn back as rain.
The ozone
layer, at an altitude of 25 kilometers, reflects harmful radiation and
ultraviolet light coming from space and turns both back into space.
The
ionosphere, reflects radio waves broadcast from the Earth back
down to different parts of the world, just like a passive communications
satellite, and thus makes wireless communication, radio, and television
broadcasting possible over long distances.
The
magnetosphere layer turns the harmful radioactive particles emitted by
the Sun and other stars back into space before they reach the Earth.
The fact
that this property of the atmosphere's layers, that was only demonstrated in
the recent past was announced centuries ago in the Qur'an, once again
demonstrates that the Qur'an is the word of God.
8.
The Layers of the Atmosphere
One fact
about the universe revealed in the verses of the Qur'an is that the sky is made
up of seven layers.
"It
is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed His
attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular heavens. He has
knowledge of all things."
(The Qur'an, 2:29)
"Then
He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven
heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate."
(The Qur'an, 41:12)
The word
"heavens", which appears in many verses in the Qur'an, is used to
refer to the sky above the Earth, as well as the entire universe. Given this
meaning of the word, it is seen that the Earth's sky, or the atmosphere, is
made up of seven layers.
The Earth
has all the attributes that are needed for life. One of them is the atmosphere,
which serves as a shield protecting living things. Today, it is an established
fact that the atmosphere is made up of different layers lying on top of one
another. Just as it is described in the Qur'an, the atmosphere is made up of
exactly seven layers. This is certainly one of the miracles of the Qur'an.
Scientists
have found that the atmosphere consists of several layers. The layers differ in
such physical properties as pressure and the types of gasses. The layer of the
atmosphere closest to Earth is called the TROPOSPHERE. It contains about
90% of the total mass of the atmosphere. The layer above the troposphere is
called the STRATOSPHERE. The OZONE LAYER is the part of the
stratosphere where absorption of ultraviolet rays occurs. The layer above the
stratosphere is called the MESOSPHERE. The THERMOSPHERE lies
above the mesosphere. The ionized gases form a layer within the thermosphere
called the IONOSPHERE. The outermost part of Earth's atmosphere extends
from about 480 km out to 960 km. This part is called the EXOSPHERE. (2)
If we
count the number of layers cited in this source, we see that the atmosphere
consists of exactly seven layers, just as stated in the verse.
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Ozonosphere
4. Mesosphere
5. Thermosphere
6. Ionosphere
7. Exosphere
Another
important miracle on this subject is mentioned in the statement "(He)
revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate.", in verse 12 of Sura
Fussilet. In other words, in the verse, God states that He assigned each heaven
its own duty. Truly, as seen in previous chapters, each one of these layers has
vital duties for the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the
Earth. Each layer has a particular function, ranging from forming rain to
preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves, to averting the harmful
effects of meteors.
One of
these functions, for example, is stated in a scientific source as follows:
Earth's
atmosphere has 7 layers. The lowest layer is called troposphere. Rain, snow and
wind only take place in the troposphere.(3)
It is a
great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly be discovered without
the technology of the 20th century, were explicitly stated by the Qur'an 1,400
years ago.
9. The Function of Mountains
The
Qur'an draws attention to a very important geological function of mountains.
"We
placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under
them…"
(Qur'an, 21:31) Mountains have roots
deep under the surface of the ground. Schematic section. Mountains, like pegs,
have deep roots embedded in the ground
Another illustration shows how
mountains are peg-like in shape, due to their deep roots.
As we
have noticed, it is stated in the verse that mountains have the function of
preventing shocks in the Earth.
With
extensions that mountains extend out towards under the ground as well as over
the ground, they clench different plates of the earth together like a peg. The
Earth's crust consists of plates that are in constant motion. This clenching
property of mountains prevents shocks to a great extent, by fixing the earth's
crust, which has a very movable structure.
This fact
was not known by anyone at the time the Qur'an was revealed. It was in fact
brought to light only recently as a result of the findings of modern geology.
According
to these findings, mountains emerge as a result of the movements and collisions
of massive plates forming the Earth's crust. When two plates collide, the
stronger one slides under the other, the one on the top bends and forms heights
and mountains. The layer beneath proceeds under the ground and makes a deep
extension downward. That means that mountains have a portion stretching
downwards, as large as their visible parts on the Earth.
In a
scientific text, the structure of mountains is described as follows:
Where
continents are thicker, as in mountain ranges, the crust sinks deeper into the
mantle.(4)
In a
verse, this role of the mountains is pointed out by a comparison with "pegs":
"Have
We not made the earth as a bed and the mountains its pegs?"
(The Qur'an, 78:6-7)
Mountains,
in other words, clench the plates in the Earth's crust together by extending
above and beneath the Earth's surface at the conjunction points of these plates.
In this way, they fix the Earth's crust, and prevent it from drifting over the
magma stratum or among its plates. Briefly, we may liken mountains to nails
that keep pieces of wood together.
"We
placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under
them..."
(The Qur'an, 21:31)
The Movement of Mountains
In one
verse, we are informed that mountains are not motionless as they seem, but are
in constant motion.
"You
will see the mountains you reckoned to be solid going past like clouds."
(The Qur'an, 27:88)
This
motion of the mountains is caused by the movement of the Earth's crust that
they are located on. The Earth's crust 'floats' over the mantle layer, which is
denser. It was at the beginning of the 20th century when, for the first time in
history, a German scientist by the name of Alfred Wegener proposed that the
continents of the earth had been attached together when it first formed, but
then drifted in different directions, and thus separated as they moved away
from each other.
10.
The Miracle in the Iron
Iron is
one of the elements highlighted in the Qur'an. In Sura Hadid, meaning Iron, we
are informed:
"…And
We sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for
mankind...."
(The Qur'an, 57:25)
The word
"sent down," particularly used for iron in the verse, could be
thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to
benefit people. But when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the
word, which is, "being physically sent down from the sky", we realize
that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle.
This is
because modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our
world has come from the giant stars in outer space.
The heavy
metals in the universe are produced in the nuclei of big stars. Our solar
system, however, does not possess a suitable structure for producing iron on
its own. Iron can only be produced in much bigger stars than the Sun, where the
temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron
exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and
eventually it explodes in what is called a "nova" or a
"supernova". As a result of this explosion, meteors containing iron
are scattered around the universe, and they move through the void until
attracted by the gravitational force of a celestial body.
All this
shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from exploding stars
in space via meteors, and was "sent down to earth", in exactly
the same way as stated in the verse: It is clear that this fact could not have
been scientifically known in the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed.
11.
The Pairs in Creation
Glory
be to Him Who created all the pairs: from what the earth produces and
from themselves and from things unknown to them."
(The Qur'an, 37:36)
Although
the concept of ''pair'' or "couple" commonly stands for male
and female, the statement of ''from things unknown to them'' has wider
implications. Today, one of the implications of the verse has been
revealed. The British scientist Paul Dirac, who proposed that matter is
created in pairs, was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1933. This
discovery, called ''parité'', maintains that matter is paired with its
opposite: anti-matter. Anti-matter carries the opposite properties to
matter. For instance, as opposed to matter, the electron of anti-matter
is positively charged and its protons are negatively charged. This fact
is stated in a scientific source in this way:
"...every
particle has its antiparticle of opposite charge… …and the uncertainty
relation tells us that pair creation and pair annihilation happen in the
vacuum at all times, in all places."(8)
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12.
The Relativity of Time
Today,
the relativity of time is a proven scientific fact. This was revealed by
Einstein's theory of relativity at the early years of the 20th century. Until
then, people did not know that time was a relative concept, and that it could
change according to the environment. Yet, the great scientist Albert Einstein
openly proved this fact with the theory of relativity. He showed that time is
dependent on mass and velocity. In the history of humanity, no one had
expressed this fact clearly before.
With one
exception though; the Qur'an included information about time's being relative!
Some verses about the subject read:
"They
ask you to hasten the punishment. God will not break His promise. A day with
your Lord is equivalent to a thousand years in the way you count."
(The Qur'an, 22:47)
"He
directs the whole affair from heaven to earth. Then it will again ascend to Him
on a Day whose length is a thousand years by the way you measure."
(The Qur'an, 32:5)
"The
angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day whose length is fifty thousand
years."
(The Qur'an, 70:4)
13.
The Proportion of Rain
One of
the items of information given in the Qur'an about rain is that it is sent down
to Earth in due measure. This is mentioned in Sura Zukhruf as follows;
"It
is He who sends down water in due measure from the sky by which We bring a dead
land back to life. That is how you too will be raised (from the dead)."
(The Qur'an, 43:11)
This
measured quantity in rain has again been discovered by modern research. It is
estimated that in one second, approximately 16 million tons of water evaporates
from the Earth. This figure amounts to 513 trillion tons of water in one year.
This number is equal to the amount of rain that falls on the Earth in a year.
This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle, in a
"measure". Life on Earth depends on this water cycle. Even if people
used all the available technology in the world, they would not be able to
reproduce this cycle artificially.
The Formation of Rain
How rain
forms remained a great mystery for a long time. Only after weather radar was
invented was it possible to discover the stages by which rain is formed.
According
to this, the formation of rain takes place in three stages. First, the
"raw material" of rain rises up into the air with the wind. Later,
clouds are formed, and finally raindrops appear.
The
Qur'an's account of the formation of rain refers exactly to this process. In
one verse, this formation is described in this way:
"It
is God Who sends the winds which stir up clouds which He spreads about the sky
however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps and you see the rain come
pouring out from the middle of them. When He makes it fall on those of His
slaves He wills, they rejoice"
(The Qur'an, 30:48)
Now, let
us examine these three stages outlined in the verse more technically.
FIRST STAGE: " It is God Who sends the
winds..."
Countless
air bubbles formed by the foaming of the oceans continuously burst and cause
water particles to be ejected towards the sky. These particles, which are rich
in salt, are then carried away by winds and rise upward in the atmosphere.
These particles, which are called aerosols, function as water traps, and form
cloud drops by collecting around the water vapour themselves, which rises from
the seas as tiny droplets.
SECOND STAGE: ".... which stir up clouds which
He spreads about the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark
clumps..."
The
clouds are formed from water vapour that condenses around the salt crystals or
dust particles in the air. Because the water droplets in these clouds are very
small (with a diameter between 0.01 and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in
the air, and spread across the sky. Thus, the sky is covered in clouds.
The above
illustration shows the water droplets being released into the air. This is the
first stage in the formation of rain. After that, the water droplets in the
newly formed clouds will be suspended in the air and then condense to form
rain. All of these stages are related in the Qur'an.
THIRD STAGE: "…and you see the rain come
pouring our from the middle of them"
The water
particles that surround salt crystals and dust particles thicken and form
raindrops, so, drops that become heavier than the air leave the clouds and
start to fall to the ground as rain.
As we
have seen, every stage in the formation of rain is related in the verses of the
Qur'an. Furthermore, these stages are explained in exactly the right sequence.
Just as with many other natural phenomena on the Earth, God gives the most
correct explanation of this phenomenon as well, and made it known to people in
the Qur'an centuries before it was discovered.
In
another verse, the following information is given about the formation of rain:
"Have
you not seen how God drives along the clouds, then joins them together, then
makes them into a stack, and then you see the rain come out of it? And He sends
down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) with cold hail in them, striking
with it anyone He wills and averting it from anyone He wills. The brightness of
His lightning almost blinds the sight."
(The Qur'an, 24:43)
Scientists
studying cloud types came across surprising results regarding the formation of
rain clouds. Rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems
and stages. The formation stages of cumulonimbus, one kind of rain cloud, are
these:
1.STAGE, Being
driven along: Clouds are carried along, that is, they are driven along, by the
wind.
2.STAGE, Joining:
Then, small clouds (cumulus clouds) driven along by the wind join together,
forming a larger cloud.(9)
3.STAGE, Stacking:
When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the centre of
the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the
cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth
causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where
drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger. When
these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support
them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc.(10)
We must
remember that meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of
cloud formation, structure and function, by using advanced equipment like
planes, satellites, computers etc. It is evident that God has given us a piece
of information that could not have been known 1,400 years ago.
14.
The Fecundating Winds
In one
verse of the Qur'an, the "fecundating" characteristic of the winds,
and the formation of rain as a result are mentioned.
"And
We send the fecundating winds, then cause water to descend from the sky,
therewith providing you with water in abundance."
(The Qur'an, 15:22)
In this
verse, it is pointed out that the first stage in the formation of rain is wind.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the only relationship between the wind
and the rain that was known, was that the wind drove the clouds. However,
modern meteorological findings have demonstrated the "fecundating"
role of the wind in the formation of rain.
This
fecundating function of the wind works in the following way:
On the
surface of oceans and seas, countless air bubbles form because of the water's
foaming action. The moment these bubbles burst, thousands of tiny particles,
with a diameter of just one hundredth of a millimeter, are thrown up into the
air. These particles, known as "aerosols", mix with dust carried from
the land by the wind, and are carried to the upper layers of the atmosphere.
These particles carried to higher altitudes by winds come into contact with
water vapour up there. Water vapour condenses around these particles and turns
into water droplets. These water droplets first come together and form clouds,
and then fall to the Earth in the form of rain.
As seen,
winds "fecundate" the water vapour floating in the air with the
particles they carry from the sea, and eventually help the formation of rain
clouds.
If winds
did not possess this property, water droplets in the upper atmosphere would
never form, and there would be no such thing as rain.
15.
The Seas not Mingling with One Another
One of
the properties of seas that has only recently been discovered is related in a
verse of the Qur'an as follows:
"He
has let loose the two seas, converging together, with a barrier between them
they do not break through."
(The Qur'an, 55:19-20)
This
property of the seas, that they come together yet do not mingle with one
another at all, has only very recently been discovered by oceanographers.
Because of the physical force called "surface tension", the waters of
neighbouring seas do not mix. Caused by the difference in the density of their waters,
surface tension prevents them from mingling with one another, just as if a thin
wall were between them.(11)
The
interesting side to this is that during a period when people had no knowledge
of physics, surface tension, or oceanography; this was revealed in the Qur'an.
16. Darkness in the
Seas and Internal Waves
"Or
(the unbelievers' state) are like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is
covered by waves above which are waves above which are clouds, layers of
darkness, one upon the other. If he puts out his hand, he can scarcely see it.
Those God gives no light to, they have no light."
(The Qur'an, 24:40)
The
general environment in deep seas is described in the book named Oceans:
The
darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and
below. At this depth, there is almost no light. Below a depth of 1000 meters
there is no light at all.(12)
Today, we
know about the general structure of the sea, the characteristics of the living
things in it, its salinity, as well as the amount of water it contains, its
surface area and depth. Submarines and special equipment, developed with modern
technology, enable scientists to obtain this information.
Human
beings are not able to dive more than 40 meters down without the aid of special
equipment. They cannot survive unaided in the deep, dark parts of the oceans,
such as at a depth of 200 meters. For these reasons, scientists have only
recently been able to discover these detailed pieces of information about seas.
However, the statement of "darkness in a deep sea" was used in Sura
Nur 1,400 years ago. It is certainly one of the miracles of the Qur'an that
such information was given at a time where no equipment to enable man to dive
into the depths of the oceans was available.
In
addition, the statement in verse 40 of Sura Nur "…like the darkness of a
fathomless sea which is covered by waves above which are waves above which are
clouds…" draws our attention to another miracle of the Qur'an.
17. The
Region That Controls Our Movements
"No
indeed! If he does not stop, We will grab him by the forelock, a lying, sinful
forelock."
(The Qur'an, 96:15-16)
The
expression "the lying, sinful forelock" in the above verse is most
interesting. Research carried out in recent years revealed that the prefrontal
area, which is responsible for the management of particular functions of the
brain, lies in the frontal part of the skull. Scientists only discovered the
functions of this area, which the Qur'an pointed out 1,400 years ago, in the
last 60 years. If we look inside the skull at the front of the head, we will
find the frontal area of the cerebrum. A book entitled Essentials of Anatomy
and Physiology, which includes the results of the latest research on the
functions of this area, says:
The
motivation and the foresight to plan and initiate movements occur in the
anterior portion of the frontal lobes, the prefrontal area. This is a region of
association cortex…(14)
The book
also says:
In
relation to its involvement in motivation, the prefrontal area is also thought
to be the functional center for aggression…(15)
So, this
area of the cerebrum is responsible for planning, motivation, and initiating
good and sinful behaviour, and is responsible for telling lies and the truth.
It is
clear that the statement "the lying, sinful forelock" corresponds
completely to the above explanations. This fact, which scientists have only
discovered in the last 60 years, was stated by God in the Qur'an long years
ago.
18. The Birth of a Human Being
Many
diverse subjects are mentioned in the Qur'an in the course of inviting people
to believe. Sometimes the heavens, sometimes animals, and sometimes plants are
shown as evidence to man by God. In many of the verses, people are called upon
to turn their attention to their own creation. They are often reminded how man
came into the world, which stages he has passed through, and what his essence
is:
"It
is We Who have created you. Why, then, do you not accept the truth? Have you
ever considered that (seed) which you emit? Is it you who create it? Or are We
the Creator?"
(The Qur'an, 56:57-59)
The
creation of man, and the miraculous aspect of this, is stressed in many other
verses. Some items of information within these verses are so detailed that it
is impossible for anyone living in the 7th century to have known them. Some of
these are as follows:
1. Man is not created from the entire semen, but
only a very small portion of it (sperm).
2. It is the male that determines the sex of the baby.
3. The human embryo adheres to the mother's uterus like a leech.
4. The embryo develops in three dark regions in the uterus.
People
living when the Qur'an was revealed, to be sure, knew that the basic substance
of birth was related to the semen of the male emitted during sexual
intercourse. And the fact that the baby was born after a nine-month period was
obviously an observable event not calling for any further investigation.
However, the items of information just quoted were far above the level of
learning of the people living at that time. These were verified by 20th century
science.
Now, let us go over them one by one.
A Drop of Semen
During
sexual intercourse, 250 million sperms are emitted from the male at a time. The
sperms undertake an arduous journey in the mother's body until they make it to
the ovum. Only a thousand out of 250 million sperms succeed in reaching the
ovum. At the end of this five-minute race, the ovum, half the size of a grain
of salt, will let only one of the sperms in. That is, the essence of man is not
the whole semen, but only a small part of it. This is explained in the Qur'an:
"Does
man reckon he will be left uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not once a
drop of ejected semen?"
(The Qur'an, 75:36-37)
As we
have seen, the Qur'an informs us that man is made not from the entire semen,
but only a small part of it. That the particular emphasis in this statement
announces a fact only discovered by modern science is evidence that the
statement is divine in origin. The
Mixture in the Semen
The fluid
called semen, which contains the sperms, does not consist of sperms alone. On
the contrary, it is made up of a mixture of different fluids. These fluids have
different functions, such as containing the sugar necessary for providing
energy for the sperms, neutralising the acids at the entrance of the uterus,
and creating a slippery environment for the easy movement of the sperms.
Interestingly
enough, when semen is mentioned in the Qur'an, this fact, which was discovered
by modern science, is also referred to, and semen is defined as a mixed fluid:
"We
created man from a mingled drop to test him, and We made him hearing and
seeing."
(The Qur'an, 76:2)
In
another verse, semen is again referred to as a mixture, and it is stressed that
man is created from the "extract" of this mixture:
"He
who has created all things in the best possible way. He commenced the creation
of man from clay; then He made his progeny from an extract of discarded
fluid."
(The Qur'an, 32:7-8)
The
Arabic word "sulala", translated as "extract", means the
essential or best part of something. By either implication, it means "part
of a whole". This shows that the Qur'an is the word of a Will that knows
the creation of man down to its slightest detail. This Will is God, the Creator
of man.
The Sex of the Baby
Until
fairly recently, it was thought that a baby's sex was determined by the
mother's cells. Or at least, it was believed that the sex was determined by the
male and female cells together. But we are given different information in the
Qur'an, where it is stated that masculinity or femininity is created out of
"a drop of sperm which has been ejected".
"He
has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of semen which has been
ejected."
(The Qur'an, 53:45-46)
In the Qur'an, it is said that
masculinity or femininity are created out of "a drop of semen which has
been ejected". However, until fairly recently, it was believed that a
baby's sex was determined by the mother's cells. Science only discovered this
information given in the Qur'an in the 20th century. This and many other
similar details about the creation of man were stated in the Qur'an centuries
ago.
The
developing disciplines of genetics and molecular biology have scientifically
validated the accuracy of this information given by the Qur'an. It is now
understood that sex is determined by the sperm cells from the male, and that
the female has no role in this process.
The Y
chromosome carries characteristics of masculinity, while the X chromosome
carries those of femininity. In the mother's egg, there is only the X
chromosome, which determines female characteristics. In the semen from the
father, there are sperms that includes either X or Y chromosomes. Therefore,
the sex of the baby depends on whether the sperm fertilising the egg contains
an X or Y chromosome. In other words, as stated in the verse, the factor
determining the sex of the baby is the semen, which comes from the father. This
knowledge, which could not have been known at the time when the Qur'an was
revealed, is evidence to the fact that the Qur'an is the word of God.
Chromosomes
are the main elements in determining sex. Two of the 46 chromosomes that
determine the structure of a human being are identified as the sex chromosomes.
These two chromosomes are called "XY" in males, and "XX" in
females, because the shapes of the chromosomes resemble these letters. The Y
chromosome carries the genes that code for masculinity, while the X chromosome
carries the genes that code for femininity.
The
formation of a new human being begins with the cross combination of one of
these chromosomes, which exist in males and females in pairs. In females, both
components of the sex cell, which divides into two during ovulation, carry X
chromosomes. The sex cell of a male, on the other hand, produces two different
kinds of sperm, one that contains X chromosomes and the other Y chromosomes. If
an X chromosome from the female unites with a sperm that contains an X
chromosome, then the baby is female. If it unites with the sperm that contains
a Y chromosome, the baby is male.
In other
words, a baby's sex is determined by which chromosome from the male unites with
the female's ovum.
None of
this was known until the discovery of genetics in the 20th century. Indeed, in
many cultures, it was believed that a baby's sex was determined by the female's
body. That was why women were blamed when they gave birth to girls.
Thirteen
centuries before human genes were discovered, however, the Qur'an revealed
information that denies this superstition, and referred to the origin of sex
lying not with women, but with the semen coming from men.
The Clot Clinging to the Uterus
If we
keep on examining the facts announced to us in the Qur'an about the formation
of human beings, we again encounter some very important scientific miracles.
In the
first phase of its development, the baby in the mother's womb is in the form of
a zygote, which clings to the uterus in order to take nourishment from the
mother's blood. In the picture above is a zygote, which looks like a piece of
flesh. This formation, which has been discovered by modern embryology, was miraculously
stated in the Qur'an 14 centuries ago with the word "alaq", which
means "a thing that clings to some place" and is used to describe
leeches that cling to a body to suck blood.
When the
sperm of the male unites with the ovum of the female, the essence of the baby
to be born is formed. This single cell, known as a "zygote" in
biology, will instantly start to reproduce by dividing, and eventually become a
"piece of flesh" called an embryo. This of course can only be seen by
human beings with the aid of a microscope.
The
embryo, however, does not spend its developmental period in a void. It clings
to the uterus just like roots that are firmly fixed to the earth by their
tendrils. Through this bond, the embryo can obtain the substances essential to
its development from the mother's body.(16)
Here, at
this point, a very significant miracle of the Qur'an is revealed. While
referring to the embryo developing in the mother's womb, God uses the word
"alaq" in the Qur'an:
"Recite:
In the name of your Lord Who created man from alaq. Recite: And your Lord is
the Most Generous."
(The Qur'an, 96:1-3)
The
meaning of the word "alaq" in Arabic is "a thing that clings to
some place". The word is literally used to describe leeches that cling to
a body to suck blood.
Certainly,
the use of such an appropriate word for the embryo developing in the mother's
womb, proves once again that the Qur'an is a revelation from God, the Lord of
all the Worlds.
The wrapping of muscles over the bones
Another
important aspect of the information given in the verses of the Qur'an is the
developmental stages of a human being in the mother's womb. It is stated in the
verses that in the mother's womb, the bones develop first, and then the muscles
form which wrap around them.
"(We)
then formed the drop into a clot and formed the clot into a lump and formed the
lump into bones and clothed the bones in flesh; and then brought him into being
as another creature. Blessed be God, the Best of Creators!"
(The Qur'an, 23:14)
The bones
of the baby completing its development in the mother's womb are clothed with
flesh during one particular stage.
Embryology
is the branch of science that studies the development of the embryo in the
mother's womb. Until very recently, embryologists assumed that the bones and
muscles in an embryo developed at the same time. For this reason, for a long
time, some people claimed that these verses conflicted with science. Yet,
advanced microscopic research conducted by virtue of new technological
developments has revealed that the revelation of the Qur'an is word for word
correct.
These
observations at the microscopic level showed that the development inside the
mother's womb takes place in just the way it is described in the verses. First,
the cartilage tissue of the embryo ossifies. Then muscular cells that are
selected from amongst the tissue around the bones come together and wrap around
the bones.
This
event is described in a scientific publication titled Developing Human
in the following words:
During
the seventh week, the skeleton begins to spread throughout the body and the
bones take their familiar shapes. At the end of the seventh week and during the
eighth week the muscles take their positions around the bone forms.(17) Many
stages of a baby's development in the mother's womb are related in the Qur'an.
As described in verse 14 of Sura Muminun, the cartilage of the embryo in the
mother's womb ossifies first. Then these bones are covered with muscle cells.
God describes this development with the verse: "…(We then) formed the lump
into bones and clothed the bones in flesh"
In short,
man's developmental stages as described in the Qur'an are in perfect harmony
with the findings of modern embryology.
Three Stages of the Baby in the Womb
In the Qur'an, it is related that man is created in
a three-stage process in the mother's womb.
"... He creates you stage by stage in your
mothers' wombs in threefold darkness. That is God, your Lord. Sovereignty is
His. There is no god but Him. So what has made you deviate?"
(The Qur'an, 39:6)
As will
be understood, it is pointed out in this verse that a human being is created in
the mother's womb in three distinct stages. Indeed, modern biology has revealed
that the baby's embryological development takes place in three distinct regions
in the mother's womb. Today, in all the embryology textbooks studied in
faculties of medicine, this subject is taken as an element of basic knowledge.
For instance in Basic Human Embryology, a fundamental reference text in
the field of embryology, this fact is stated as follows: "The life in
the uterus has three stages: pre-embryonic; first two and a half weeks,
embryonic; until the end of the eight week, and fetal; from the eight week to
labor."(18)
These
phases refer to the different developmental stages of a baby. In brief, the
main characteristics of these developmental stages are as follows:
- Pre-embryonic stage
In this first phase, the zygote grows by division, and when it becomes a cell
cluster, it buries itself in the wall of the uterus. While they continue
growing, the cells organise themselves in three layers.
- Embryonic Stage
The second phase lasts for five and a half weeks, during which the baby is
called an "embryo". In this stage, the basic organs and systems of
the body start to appear from the cell layers.
- Fetal stage
From this stage on, the embryo is called a "foetus". This phase
begins at the eighth week of gestation and lasts until the moment of birth. The
distinctive characteristic of this stage is that the foetus looks just like a
human being, with its face, hands and feet. Although it is only 3 cm. long
initially, all of its organs have become apparent. This phase lasts for about
30 weeks, and development continues until the week of delivery.
In the verse 6 of Sura Zumar, it is
pointed out that man is created in the mother's womb in three distinct stages.
Indeed, modern embryology has revealed that the baby's embryological
development takes place in three distinct regions in the mother's womb.
Information
on the development in the mother's womb became available only after
observations with modern devices. Yet, just like many other scientific facts,
these pieces of information are imparted in the verses of the Qur'an in a
miraculous way. The fact that such detailed and accurate information was given
in the Qur'an at a time when people had scarce information on medical matters
is clear evidence that the Qur'an is not the word of man, but the word of God.
19. Mother's Milk
Mother's
milk is an unmatched mixture that is created by God as both an excellent
food-source for the newborn baby, and a substance that increases its
resistance to diseases. Even artificial baby food produced by today's
technology cannot substitute for this miraculous source of nutrition.
Every
day, a new benefit of mother's milk to the baby is discovered. One of the
facts that science has discovered about mother's milk is that suckling up to
two years after birth is very beneficial.(19) God gives us this important information,
which was discovered by science only very recently, with the verse "…his
weaning was in two years.." 14 centuries ago.
"And
We have enjoined upon man goodness towards his parents: his mother bore him
by bearing strain upon strain, and his weaning was in two years: (hence, O
man,) be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the eventual
coming."
(The Qur'an, 31:14)
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20. The Identity in the Fingerprint
While it
is stated in the Qur'an that it is easy for God to bring man back to life after
death, peoples' fingerprints are particularly emphasized:
"Yes,
We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his
fingers."
(The Qur'an, 75:3-4)
Everyone, including identical twins, has a
unique fingerprint. In other words, people's identities are coded at their
fingertips. This coding system may also be compared to the barcode system that
is used today.
The
emphasis on fingerprints has a very special meaning. This is because everyone's
fingerprint is unique to himself. Every person who is alive or who has ever
lived in this world has a set of unique fingerprints.
That is
why fingerprints are accepted as a very important proof of identity, exclusive
to their owner, and are used for this purpose around the world.
But what
is important is that this feature of fingerprints was only discovered in the
late 19th century. Before then, people regarded fingerprints as ordinary curves
without any specific importance or meaning. However in the Qur'an, God points
to the fingertips, which did not attract anyone's attention at that time, and
calls our attention to their importance-an importance that was only finally
understood in our day.
